The Fortunes by Peter Ho Davies

Living history through another’s eyes is a long tradition in American literature, but it is often from a very white perspective. Peter Ho Davies, through his superb mastery of language, shows us what it means to be an American while also being Chinese. Davies takes four unique characters from different eras and draws readers into their story at once distinct and familiar. Over and over, I recalibrated my understanding of history and how much is owed to overlooked, but vast communities. —Ivy